Breaking News

Video: Hold fresh talks with stakeholders on 20A: JVP

22 Jun 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the government to withdraw the gazette notification on the 20th Amendment and have a dialogue with all political parties before preparing a set of fresh legislation.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a media briefing that the electoral system proposed in 20A is aimed at abolishing the multi-party system in the country and to replace it with a dual party system.

He warned that such a scenario would result in dire consequences because if the small parties are denied the space to enter parliament they would think of other alternatives to fulfill their aspirations.

Mr. Silva recalled that the 6th Amendment which prevented the Tamil United National Front (TULF) from entering parliament resulted in a civil war while the country was confronted with more conflicts in 1988/89 with the proscription of the JVP.

“In its present form, 20A will allow a handful of aristocratic families to monopolise the political scene and parliament,” he said.

Mr. Silva said there were subtle attempts to prevent parties such as the JVP from highlighting the instances of fraud and corruption carried out by politicians of the two main political parties.

He said parliament should be dissolved if it was not possible to get legislation passed.

Mr. Silva claimed that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesnghe had assured that the gazette notification on the 20th Amendment would be with drawn if parliament fails to approve it. (Yohan Perera and Sanath Desmond)

Video by Sanath Desmond

Breaking News

Video: Hold fresh talks with stakeholders on 20A: JVP

Most Popular Articles

More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers

Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson Shyamila Perera arrested

Girl visited her lover, gang raped by lover and his friends

Updated World Test Championship standings after West Indies’ record win over Sri Lanka

Historic locomotive move between Kandy and Peradeniya without tracks

12-hour water cut in Colombo and suburbs on Saturday

Latest News

Reconstruction of damaged Kandy–Colombo railway line accelerated

LAUGFS gas slashes domestic LP gas prices

French heat wave death toll rises to 2025

Spa Association complains to IGP over alleged police action

CIABOC says Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was in Dubai during alleged bribe transaction